For dinner favoury fruits, of tafte to please 305 Of necta'rous draughts between, from milky stream, Berry or grape to whom thus Adam call'd. 310 Hafte hither Eve, and worth thy fight behold Eastward among thofe trees, what glorious fhape Comes this way moving; seems another morn Ris'n on mid-noon; some great behest from heaven To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchfafe This day to be our gueft. But go with fpeed, And what thy ftores contain, bring forth, and pour Abundance, fit to honour and receive Our heavenly ftranger: well we may afford Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow From large beftow'd, where Nature multiplies Her fertile growth, and by difburd'ning grows More fruitful, which inftructs us not to spare. 315 320 To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd mould, Of God infpir'd, fmall ftore will ferve, where store, All feafons, ripe for ufe hangs on the stalk; Save what by frugal ftoring firmness gains To nourish, and fuperfluous moift confumes: But I will hafte, and from each bough and brake, Each plant and jucieft gourd, will pluck fuch choice To entertain our angel-gueft, as he 325 Beholding fhall confefs, that here on earth God hath difpens'd his bounties as in heaven. 330 So faying, with dispatchful looks in haste She turns, on hofpitable thoughts intent 335 340 In India Eaft or Weft, or middle fhore, 355 Meanwhile our primitive great fire, to meet 350 His godlike guest, walks forth, without more train Accompanied than with his own complete Perfections; in himself was all his ftate, More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits On princes, when their rich retinue long Of horfes led, and grooms befmeard with gold, Dazzles the croud, and fets them all agape. Nearer his prefence Adam, though not aw'd, Yet with fubmifs approach and reverence meek, As to' a fuperiour nature, bowing low, Thus faid. Native of heaven, for other place None can than heaven fuch glorious shape contain; 360 Since by defcending from the thrones above, Those happy places thou haft deign'd a while To want, and honour these, vouchsafe with us Whom thus th' angelic Virtue answer'd mild. 365 370 As may not oft invite, tho' fpi'rits of heaven 375 They came, that like Pomona's arbour smil'd, Long after to blefs'd Mary, fecond Eve.. Hail, mother of mankind! whose fruitful womb The earth to yield; unfavoury food perhaps To whom the angel. Therefore what he gives 400 405 As doth your rational; and both contain Within them every lower faculty 410 Of fenfe, whereby they hear, fee, fmell, touch, taste, Tasting concoct, digest, affimilate, And corporeal to incorporeal turn. For know, whatever was created, needs To be fuftain'd and fed: of elements, The groffer feeds the purer, earth the fea, Earth and the fea feed air, the air thofe fires Whence in her visage round thofe fpots, unpurg'd In humid exhalations, and at even 415 420. 425 Sups with the ocean. Though in heav'n the trees 430 Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn The angel, nor in mift, the common glofs 435 Of real hunger, and concoctive heat : To tranfubftantiate what redounds, tranfpires Through fpi'rits with eafe; nor wonder; if by fire Of footy coal th' empiric alchemist Can turn, or holds it poffible to turn, As from the mine. Meanwhile at table Eve 440 Minifter'd naked, and their flowing cups Then had the fons of God excufe to' have been 445 Was understood, the injur'd lover's hell. 450 Thus when with meats and drinks they had fuffic'd, Not burden'd nature, fudden mind arofe In Adam, not to let th' occafion pafs Giv'n him by this great conference, to know Of things above this world, and of their be'ing 455 Inhabitant with God, now know I well As that more willingly thou couldst not seem 460 465 At heaven's high feasts to' have fed: yet what compare? To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd. O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom All things proceed, and up to him return, If not deprav'd from good; created all 4.70 475 |